Gloucester

Gloucester's population expanded in the decade to 2011. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure, marriage and health.

The population passed 120,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Gloucester increased by 11%, from almost 110,000 to 122,000.

The addition of almost 12,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Gloucester was home to, on average, 21 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the South West's third-most densely-populated district.

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Gloucester

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Gloucester increased by two years, from 36 to 38 years.

This urban area had a lower average age than the South West and remained slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 4,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 14% of people in Gloucester are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Gloucester by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Gloucester residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.2% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 1.0% in 2001 to 1.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Gloucester remained close to 1.2%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Gloucester by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Gloucester without children remained close to 60% between the last two censuses.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 31%, while the percentage of households in Gloucester with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.6% to 9.2%.

The proportion of households without children fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 64% in 2001 to 65% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61%.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

Gloucester saw the South West's third-largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

In 2011, just over one in nine (12%) households in Gloucester had an unmarried couple, compared with 9.3% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person decreased from 30% to 29%.

Across the region, only Plymouth (from 8.1% to 11%) and Isles of Scilly (from 7.3% to 10%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

Because of its small size, comparisons to Isles of Scilly should be made with caution.

Every local authority area across the South West saw a rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple, as the regional average grew from 8.4% to 10%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Gloucester increased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Gloucester, the South West and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Gloucester

The percentage of Gloucester residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 91% to 90% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 2.9%, while the percentage of Gloucester residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.6% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 90% in 2001 to 89% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

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